1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which a printer, a duplicating machine, etc., are connected to a communication network and a method of controlling the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same capable of timely performing a print job of a user based on the movement of the user and of improving the convenience of users and security.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a personal computer designates the number of print copies and a print range to a printer to perform printing. When a printer is connected to a network, the printer performs a printing process in the order of print commands received from a plurality of users requiring printing. Therefore, a paper outlet is piled up high with printed sheets required by the plurality of users. However, in recent years, since it has been strongly demanded to protect the security and privacy of users, user interfaces that require inputting a text ID or password at the time of printing have been widely used. For example, there is a print system having a private print function in which, when a personal computer instructs a print system to perform printing, a text ID, called an ‘access name’, is input through the personal computer, so that, when the ‘access name’ is not input, printing is not performed. However, the user interface has problems in that it is necessary to perform a character input operation on a personal computer side and a printer side and to memorize the ‘access name’.
Therefore, it is demanded to timely provide a print service with respect to a print job issued by a user by determining that the user having issued the print job approaches a print or a print terminal to get a printout.
Further, there are JP-A-6-59010 and JP-A-2002-111924 as patent documents related to the present invention.
JP-A-6-59010 discloses a technique in which a CCD sensor is provided in an image forming apparatus to determine the moving direction or face of a person, thereby controlling a power supply/preheating function.
Furthermore, in JP-A-2002-111924, a camera captures a face of a person who is willing to use an image forming apparatus, and it is determined whether the image captured by the camera corresponds to a registered user. In this way, JP-A-2002-111924 controls whether to use the image forming apparatus.
However, JP-A-6-59010 and JP-A-2002-111924 do not disclose a technique of timely performing a print job issued by a user based on the approach of the user to a printer or a print terminal.